Hammerson and Kleinwort Benson (Tax Havens-R-Us): The Ood make a Moove at Brent Cross [Updated: plans are now on-line]

Second update: 11 November: "The consultation period for the application ends on 23rd November. The target date for the decision is (was) 14th December."

---

A (small) full planning application has just been made, 'F/04296/11', for land to the east of Brent South Shopping Park. The applicants are Hammerson (Brent South) Ltd. and Kleinwort Benson (Channel Islands) Corporate Services Ltd, and it will be decided under delegated powers.

Link to previous episode of
The Doctor and Quod Planning

The agents are Quod Planning.

---

May 2011: Estates Gazette blog:

"This morning's EGi tells us that the government has called on Mary Portas, 'queen of shops', to advise it on saving embattled high streets. BIS (the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) has said it 'would announce more details shortly about its commitment to introduce a package of measures to support town centres'.

"Well jolly good call, I reckon. You won't find many of us in the regeneration sector who don't adore Ms Portas (actually, these days, you won't find many of us in the regeneration sector at all. Full stop. But that's another story altogether).

"So if Ms Portas is to take on this Herculean task, she will need a team around her. Which got me thinking... who would I have on the team?

"... John Rhodes of Quod should be the planning guru, particularly now he has added the team of Andy Hunt and Tom Dobson [a different Dobbo], supreme regeneration economists, to the mix (because they know about jobs and micro businesses)."

---

Also May 2011:

"The 'Practitioners Advisory Group', made up of four members including John Rhodes of Quod, launched their draft National Planning Policy Framework. The draft was prepared by the group to inform the Government on the preparation of their own draft NPPF, which was published for consultation in July.

"The suggested draft for the NPPF promised to deliver a significant change in national planning policy, with a dramatic simplification of planning guidance, whilst delivering on the Government’s promise of sustainable growth.

"John Rhodes, Director of Quod, said:

"It has been a privilege to be given the opportunity to work with the Group, and to be given the opportunity to contribute to the debate about finding a fit for purpose planning system.

Reform is necessary to reduce complexity, devolve power, and to make planning more accessible to all those that it affects. But reform is also necessary to drive growth – responsible growth that can deliver the development, the places and the environment that the country deserves."

---

Update: "The Life and Death of A3"

'Tea anyone?'

DRAWING ONE:
Site as existing:

The current brown-field site was formerly used for parking - but has since been closed to traffic, and is currently overgrown as weeds take root in cracks in the tarmac.

TWO:
Proposed A3 unit (pre Primary Development Package ['pre-Phase One']):

The unit will provide a much-needed food and beverage facility [a nice cafe, or a junk-food joint] for the existing Brent South Shopping Park. Land to the east will continue to be disused until onset of Primary Development Package construction [time for a lot more weeds, then].

THREE:
Proposed A3 unit + Primary Development Package:

The unit will fill an otherwise disused area of land, behind development plots 24 and 25 of the masterplan. It will face onto a landscaped area at the foot of a wide, public subway connecting the existing Brent South Shopping Centre to Tempelhof Avenue to the east.

FOUR:
Completion of final illustrative Phase 7 of masterplan:

The entire Brent South Shopping Park along with the A3 unit will be demolished, and office accommodation within the Office District Park will be constructed in its place. [The A3 unit may fall down, previous to that, due to its age.]

---

Update, 22 December 2011: 

The application has been approved.

---

Link to HOME (see all posts).